Cultivating interest among the public is key mission

In the National Library of China, more than 200 people registered recently for a lottery. This time though the prize was not money but to attend an introductory course on aerospace technology.

They knew that only about half their number could win entry and while some might benefit with late calls for no-shows, the unlucky ones accepted that they would have to try their luck another time.

According to the organizers, 90 percent of the audience were amateurs eager to learn more about aerospace technology.